Part 4 Flashcards
- Identify the causes of breathing emergencies
o Partially obstructed airway o Illness o Chronic conditions (emphysema/asthma) o Electrocution o Heart attack o Injury to head, chest, lungs or abdomen o Allergic reactions o Drugs o Poisoning o Emotional distress
- Identify signals of respiratory distress
o Cannot catch breath
o Gasp for air
o Breathing faster or slower than normal
o Wheezing, gurgling, high-pitched sounds
o Skin unusually moist, flushed
o Pale, ashen, cyanotic
o Dizzy, light headed
o Pain in chest, tingling in hands, feet, lips
o Apprehensive/fearful
o Children- agitation, unusually fast or slow breathing, drowsiness, noisy breathing, pale, ashen, flushed or bluish skin, breathing trouble increases, altered level of consciousness, increased heart rate
- Identify conditions that cause respiratory distress
asthma
emphysema
bronchitis
hyperventilation
o Asthma
narrow air passage caused by an allergic reaction
o Emphysema
alveoli cannot exchange CO2 and O2 effectively
o Bronchitis
inflammation of trachea, bronchi, bronchioles
o Anaphylactic shock
severe allergic reaction, air passages swell and restrict breathing
o Hyperventilation
breathing is faster than normal, results from fear or anxiety. Can also be caused by head injuries, severe bleeding, high fever, heart failure, lung disease, diabetic emergencies
- Identify common causes of choking for adults, children and infants
o Trying to swallow large pieces of poorly chewed food
o Drinking alcohol before or during meals, wearing dentures, eating while talking excitedly or laughing and eating too fast, walking, playing or running with food or objects in mouth
- Describe the care for a conscious choking adult, child and infant
o give 5 back blows, then 5 abdominal thrusts
o back blows help dislodge the object that is in the airway
o abdominal thrusts create pressure that forces the diaphragm higher into the thoracic cavity (increasing pressure)
- Describe the care for a victim experiencing respiratory distress
o Check scene for safety o Check for consciousness of victim o Call 911 o Care for conditions you have found Loosen clothing Open door or window Interview victim and bystanders Continue to monitor victim Calm and reassure victim Assist victim with prescribed medications Get victim comfortable
- Describe the care for a victim in respiratory arrest
o give rescue breaths
o in children and infants, give smaller, faster breaths (1 breath every 3 seconds)
- Describe when and how to use breathing barriers
o Use them when you need to give rescue breathing to the victim. If you do not have one, then don’t delay care.
- Don’t stop rescue breathing unless
o Scene becomes unsafe
o Victim begins to breathe on their own
o Another trained person takes over for you
o EMS personnel arrive on the scene and take over
o You are too exhausted to continue
- Demonstrate how to provide rescue breathing for a child
give 1 rescue breath every 3 seconds for 2 minutes, recheck for signs of life and a pulse about every 2 minutes. Continue as long as a pulse is present but child isn’t breathing
- Demonstrate how to provide rescue breathing for an infant
give 1 rescue breath every 3 seconds for 2 minutes. Recheck for signs of life and a pulse about every 2 minutes. Continue as long as pulse is present but infant isn’t breathing.
- Demonstrate how to provide care for a conscious choking adult
check scene, check person. Have someone call 911. Obtain consent. Lean the person forward and give 5 back blows, then 5 abdominal thrusts. Do this until the object is forced out, person can breathe or cough forcefully, person becomes unconscious.
- Demonstrate how to provide care for a conscious choking child
check scene, check child. Have someone call 911. Obtain consent from parent or guardian, if present, give 5 back blows and 5 back thrusts. Do this until the object is forced out, person can breathe or cough forcefully, person becomes unconscious
- Demonstrate how to provide care for a conscious choking infant
obtain permission to provide care. If infant cannot cough, cry or breathe, have someone else call 911 or the local emergency number. 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts do this until the object is expelled, infant starts to breath, cry or cough forcefully, infant is unconscious
- Airway obstruction
complete or partial blockage of the airway, which prevents air from reaching a person’s lungs; the most common cause of respiratory emergencies
- Anatomical airway obstruction
complete or partial blockage of the airway by the tongue or swollen tissues of the mouth and throat
- Aspiration
inhalation of blood, vomit or other foreign material into the lungs
- Cyanotic
bluish discoloration of the skin around the mouth or fingertips resulting from a lack of oxygen in the blood
- Mechanical airway obstruction
complete or partial blockage of the airway by a foreign object, such as a piece of food or a small toy, or fluids (vomit, blood)
- Rescue breathing
technique of breathing for a non-breathing child or infant
- Respiratory arrest-
a condition in which breathing has stopped
- Respiratory distress
condition in which breathing is difficult
- Stoma
an opening in the front of the neck through which a person whose larynx has been removed breathes
- Identify links in Cardiac Chain of Survival
o Early recognition and early access. The sooner 911 is called the sooner early advanced medical care arrives
o Early CPR. Helps circulate blood that contains oxygen to the vital organs until an AED is ready to use or advance medical personnel arrive
o Early defibrillation. Most victims need this. Each minute defibrillation is delayed reduces the chance of survival by 10%
o Early advanced medical care
MI signals for men
persistent chest pain/discomfort (uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, tightness, aching or constricting, heavy sensation), spread to arm, shoulder, neck or jaw. Not relieved by rest, changing position or taking medication, trouble breathing, pale, ashen or bluish skin
MI signals for women
chest pain/discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, arm, back, neck, jaw or stomach pain
- Describe the care for a victim of a heart attack
o Send someone to call 911
o Have victim stop what they are doing and rest comfortably
o Loosen restrictive clothing
o Monitor victim closely until EMS personnel arrive. Note changes in appearance or behavior
o Be prepared to perform CPR or use an AED
o Defibrillation
electrical shock that disrupts the electrical activity of the heart long enough to allow the heart to spontaneously develop an effective rhythm on its own
- Describe the general steps for the use of an automated external defibrillator
o Turn on AED
o Wipe victim’s chest dry. Apply pads to victim’s bare chest. One pad on victim’s upper right chest and other pad on lower left side. Plug in connector into AED
o Let AED analyze heart rhythm
o Deliver shock (push button)
- List the precautions for the use of an AED
o Don’t touch victim while AED is analyzing
o Don’t touch victim while AED is defibrillating
o Don’t use alcohol to wipe victim’s chest dry
o Do not defibrillate around flammable or combustible materials
o Do not use AED on victim with water
o Don’t use AED for adults for children
o Don’t use AED on people with nitroglycerin patches on their chest. Remove first
o Don’t use phone or radio within 6 feet of AED
- How to perform CPR for an adult, child or infant
o If victim shows no signs of life: heel of one hand on victim’s sternum and other hand directly on top
o Position shoulders over hands. Do 30 chest compressions at about 100 compressions per minute
o Give 2 rescue breaths
o Continue until: scene becomes unsafe, victim shows obvious sign of life, AED becomes available, you are too exhausted to continue, EMS arrives, another trained responder arrives.
- How to care for an unconscious choking adult, child or infant
o If rescue breaths don’t go in, reposition victim’s airway (tilt head farther back), try again. If still not..
o Find hand position in middle of chest
o 30 chest compressions
o Lift jaw and tongue and look inside mouth. If you see object, remove it
o Try 2 rescue breaths
o Continue until scene is unsafe, victim shows obvious sign of life, AED becomes available, you are too exhausted to continue, EMS arrives, another trained responder arrives.
o Check for signs of life for no more than 10 seconds
